Faculty for Applied Sustainability

Ariana Cano

Biography

Dr. Ariana Cano was born in Caracas, Venezuela, an upbringing constantly surrounded by adventures to El Avila and Morrocoy National Parks; the two “outdoor” environments that first introduced her to adventure, camping, and environmental protection. At age 11, Ariana’s family moved to the United States. She went on to attend Florida State University where she pursued a B.S. in Political Science and a B.A. in English. With the lack of environmental education in her repertoire, Ariana decided to pursue a Master of Science at the University of Vermont. She studied the effects of community supported agriculture and the impact these have on people’s attitude towards local food systems. She obtained her Ph.D. in Environmental Social Psychology at the University of Vermont.

Ariana’s main passion is teaching about social justice and sustainable development. She has had the opportunity to teach at different colleges and lead groups internationally to learn about efficient efforts to grow sustainable communities. She loves teaching and coaching people on how to become better environmentalists, as well as getting outdoors and enjoying nature. Ariana is a firm believer of grassroots movements, social justice, and political action. She also sits on the Board for Registration of Voters of her current city and constantly emphasizes the importance for people to get out and vote and be involved in the political system.

In her free time, you can find Ariana biking (either mountain or road because bikes are just awesome), playing volleyball, kayaking, and swimming. In the winter, she misses the warmth of the tropics but gets by snowboarding.

• Copy Link to Share 
• View this Person's Detail Page 

Cheryl Casey

Biography

Cheryl Casey joined the Communication & Creative Media faculty in 2013. She teaches introductory courses in media, communication, and culture. Cheryl advises Communication students and also serves as faculty adviser to the CCM chapter of Lambda Pi Eta, the national communication honor society.

Cheryl’s research areas include media literacy, critical media studies, language and culture, media history, and communication ethics. She is most recently a co-author of two textbooks, Navigating Your Information Landscape: A Multidisciplinary Approach to Media and Information Literacy (2023, Cognella) and New Media, Communication, & Society (2019, Peter Lang). Cheryl has contributed to such publications as the International Encyclopedia of Communication Theory and Philosophy (2016, John Wiley & Sons) and the international journal, Explorations in Media Ecology. Her work has been accepted for presentation in both international and national forums and has received several conference Top Paper awards.

On the other side of life, Cheryl is active in community organizations, serving as president of the Waterbury Historical Society and on the board of Stowe Theatre Guild, as well as supporting local journalism as a correspondent for the Waterbury Roundabout. She also loves running, reading dark crime thrillers, hiking, camping, knitting, gardening, dancing, and hanging out with her dog, Daisy.

Cheryl holds a B.A. in Media Studies from Sacred Heart University, and an M.A. and Ph.D. in Media Ecology from New York University.

Distinctions & Awards

Award of Excellence, League of Local Historical Societies & Museums, Vermont Historical Society (2020) for producing the video series, Waterbury Women: Stories and Inspiration, for the Waterbury (VT) Historical Society. (https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLNp4A6tdVDFE5uzwKpsg2q-rX-Ng3ETQm)

Finalist, Media Ecology Association Book of the Year (2020), for New Media, Communication & Society.

John LaVallee Innovation Award, Champlain College, (2017) for implementation of a new curriculum management system (Curriculog).

Neil Postman Mentor Award, New York State Communication Association (2013), in recognition of “the degree of intellectual and personal leadership, enthusiasm for learning, and generous spirit required to cultivate future generations of scholars.”

Professional & Scholastic Affiliations

• National Communication Association
• Eastern Communication Association
• Media Ecology Association

Recommended Reading, Listening & Viewing

• Department Q detective series by Jussi Adler-Olsen
• NPR podcast, Throughline
• NPR podcast, Code Switch
• WNYC podcast, On the Media
• CrashCourse: Black American History, with Clint Smith (https://youtu.be/xPx5aRuWCtc)

Favorite Quote

“At its best, schooling can be about how to make a life, which is quite different from how to make a living.”

—Neil Postman, The End of Education: Redefining the Value of School

• Copy Link to Share 
• View this Person's Detail Page 

Robin Collins

Biography

Robin joined Champlain in 2014. She is all about creating amazing experiential learning, particularly service-learning, opportunities for students in her science courses. Service-learning is a pedagogical approach that aims to enhance student learning by incorporating service to the community into the curriculum. Examples of Robin’s student projects include: working with the college to make the Burlington campus free of vehicle idling, working with the Winooski Valley Park District to analyze and digitize large mammal tracking records, designing campus stormwater management solutions, and building a rain garden at a local Burlington elementary school.

She loves to teach and you can find her teaching forensic science and various environmental science courses on campus. Robin received her undergraduate degree from Simon Fraser University in British Columbia, in Biology, a Master’s in Forestry from the University of Florida and her Ph.D. from UVM in Plant Biology. Robin also completed a postdoc in Switzerland before being called back to the Green Mountains.

Publications & Abstracts

PUBLICATIONS & ABSTRACTS

Professional & Scholastic Affiliations

National Science Teaching Association

Curriculum Vitae

READ MY CV

Recommended Reading, Listening & Viewing

• Radio Lab podcast
• Suzanne Simard TED Talk
• The Record podcast

Favorite Quote

Science and everyday life cannot and should not be separated.

—Rosalind Franklin

• Copy Link to Share 
• View this Person's Detail Page 

Valerie Esposito

Biography

Valerie Esposito has been at Champlain since July 2010 and is the Director for the Applied Sustainability and Environmental Studies and Policy programs. She teaches courses on Sustainability, Environmental Justice, Women’s Leadership, Place-based Sustainability, Ecological Economics, Mindfulness, Becoming Part of the Creative Economy and the Capstone.

Valerie attended American University, earning a B.A. in Justice. She received an M.A. from Brown University in Environmental Studies. She obtained her Ph.D. in Natural Resources and Ecological Economics from the Gund Institute for Ecological Economics and the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Vermont. Prior to coming to Champlain she served as the Executive Director of the Vermont Earth Institute.

After college Valerie spent two years living abroad in Costa Rica and Chile, where she participated in environmental volunteer work and taught English. She pursued her international interests in her doctoral work, conducting research and working with local non-profit and non-governmental organizations in Costa Rica, Peru and the Dominican Republic. She is very interested in bringing this experience to the classroom, to ensure relevant local, national and global issues are addressed. Her research interests include ecological literacy, education for sustainability, service learning and ecological economic policy implementation.

Valerie enjoys spending time with family and friends and taking advantage of Vermont’s natural and cultural playground, through skiing, hiking, biking, canoeing, camping, theater visits and seeing live music. Sustainable travel, gardening, cooking, reading and cultivating her inner yogini also keep her busy.

Distinctions & Awards

John Lavalle Innovation Award, 2019
Academic Innovation Award, 2023

Professional & Scholastic Affiliations

• US Society for Ecological Economics
• International Society for Ecological Economics
• North American Association for Environmental Education
• Association for Environmental Studies and Science

Curriculum Vitae

READ MY CV

Recommended Reading, Listening & Viewing

• Kimmerer, R.W. Braiding Sweetgrass
  A beautiful and poetic exploration of how humans can reimagine a holistic, inclusive relationship with the environment and all living beings based on indigenous wisdom and ways of knowing.
• Kaza, S. Mindfully Green: A Personal and Spiritual Guide to Whole Earth Thinking
  Explores Buddhist ideals of reducing harm, being with ecosystems and taking a deep systems view to implement the green practice path.
• Eisler, R. The Real Wealth of Nations: Creating A Caring Economics
  Explores the impact of the caring economy to give visibility and value to the socially and economically essential work of caring for people and the planet.

Favorite Quote

“To love a place is not enough. We must find ways to heal it.”

—Robin Wall Kimmerer

• Copy Link to Share 
• View this Person's Detail Page 

Teage O’Connor

Biography

Teage is a naturalist and educator. He writes a natural history newsletter, Wild Burlington, and has produced numerous Vermont-specific field guides to trees and animals. He is founder and director of Crow’s Path, a Burlington-based non-profit that connects people of all ages to wildness.

Publications & Abstracts

Field Guides

Recommended Reading, Listening & Viewing

• Reading the Forested Landscape by Tom Wessels
• Reading the Landscape of America by May Theilgaard Watts
• A Language Older Than Words by Derrick Jensen

• Copy Link to Share 
• View this Person's Detail Page 

Jennifer Supple

Biography

Jennifer Supple has been teaching at Champlain College since 2017. She teaches classes in Environmental Science, Nutrition, and Biology. Jennifer received an M.S. in Ecology/Plant Ecology from the University of Connecticut and an M.S. in Natural Resources/Forest Health from the University of New Hampshire. She has a B.A. in Environmental Studies from Colby College in Maine.

Jennifer’s graduate work analyzed tree ring growth and needle health to help understand the effects of air pollution and climate on white pine trees in New England. She has worked in science curriculum development with a special interest in forest health and global climate change. She is also interested in the impacts of nutrition and environmental problems on human health.

In addition to helping her students expand their knowledge of important biological, health, and environmental topics, Jennifer is committed to helping her students understand the scientific process and appreciate the relevance and impact that science has on their lives and society.

Outside the classroom, Jennifer loves to hike, trail run and ski with family and friends.

Distinctions & Awards

Space Grant Fellow, UNH Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, & Space

• Copy Link to Share 
• View this Person's Detail Page 

Kristin Wolf

Biography

Kristin Wolf is an associate professor at Champlain College where she teaches courses about environmental ethics, science and society, and landscape field methods. She is the director of the campus apiary which facilitates experiential learning opportunities for the Champlain and wider Burlington communities, fosters environmentally-responsible entrepreneurship with its student-run honey business, and organizes outreach and knowledge sharing with beekeeping communities in Peru and Colombia.

She holds a BS in Biology with a minor in International Studies from Penn State, an MS in Environmental Science and Management from Duquesne University, and a PhD in Environmental Science and Public Policy from George Mason University.

Publications & Abstracts

See CV

• Copy Link to Share 
• View this Person's Detail Page